Beloved king’s death rattles Thai tourism

Bars are closed and events cancelled, but the government says the nation must not ‘‘lose its credibility’’.

Concerts and colossal beach parties have been cancelled. An annual floating lantern festival meant to placate the country’s goddess of water will not take place.

And closed for the first time in years: red light districts in the heart of the Thai capital, Bangkok, filled with seedy go-go bars so irrepressible they managed to stay open even through past military coups.

The death of Thailand’s revered King Bhumibol Adulyadej has plunged the nation into an unprecedented period of mourning, and it is likely to stay that way for some time. But calm – not chaos – prevails.

While the military government has issued no specific guidance to anxious foreigners, Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha has made it clear that life must go on. The government declared a public holiday to give Thais a chance to grieve, but Prayuth has said businesses should remain open to ensure the nation does not ‘‘lose its credibility’’.

Tourism accounts for about 10 per cent of government revenue, with 30 million visitors a year. It is among the few bright spots in an economy that has slumped since the army ousted a democratically elected government in 2014.

The government has declared a one-year mourning period Anything that makes a party must remain shut. Restaurants can still serve food and alcohol, but loud music is not allowed. together with a 30-day moratorium on state and official events. It has also urged people to refrain from organising entertainment events for a month.

Canada has called on its citizens to ‘‘refrain from any behaviour that may be interpreted as festive, disrespectful or disorderly’’, while Britain has urged its nationals to ‘‘respect the feelings and sensitivities of the Thai people at this time . . . [and] wear sombre and respectful clothing when in public’’.

The United States Embassy has called on Americans ‘‘visiting or residing in Thailand to join us in showing respect by maintaining decorum during this extended period of profound mourning’’.

No foreign government has advised its nationals to cancel their travel plans.

Despite a subdued atmosphere, most bars and restaurants in Bangkok remain open. Some, though, have shut on their own or were instructed to do so by authorities.

Bangkok’s Nana Plaza, a threestorey complex of go-go bars filled with scantily clad women that is popular with sex tourists, said it was closing to ‘‘pay respect and mourn the passing of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej the Great’’. Soi Cowboy, another prominent red light district in Bangkok, was also shut.

In the capital’s Thonglor neighbourhood, one businessman said police ordered his nightclub to close and told him that several other bars and restaurants he ran needed to remain low-key.

‘‘Concerts, clubs, anything that makes a party must remain shut. Restaurants can still serve food and alcohol, but loud music is not allowed, no live bands,’’ he said.

Still, some tourists’ plans to see particular events may already be ruined. In the northern city of Chiang Mai, the city government has announced that the annual Yi Peng Festival, scheduled for midNovember – in which tens of thousands of lanterns float into the sky – has been cancelled.

On the island of Koh Phangan, organisers of the renowned Full Moon parties have called off the latest one, which was set to begin tomorrow.

Khaosod English, a media outlet which reported numerous cancellations in the capital, offered prudent advice to its readers for upcoming events: ‘‘Call ahead first.’’